Baggage Battles: NYC Transit Pictures

Laurence, Sally, Mark and Billy are all in New York for the PropertyRoom.com Mass Transit Lost Property auction.

Each year 1.6 billion people ride the subways, trains and buses of New York City. Annually 20,000 items are lost in the transit network and 14,000 items like this gas mask usually go unclaimed and end up at auction.

Billy takes time to scope out the competition during the auction preview period. Looks like one of the younger bidders is doing the same.

Mark examines an unusual item up for auction: a sword.

Laurence and Sally sort through items during the PropertyRoom.com auction preview and take notes on the items on which they want to bid.

Billy takes time to examine some of the items up for auction during the preview. He spots the gas masks. Think he will take one home?

Sally and Laurence come across the same sword that Mark was eyeing earlier in the auction preview. Uh-oh, we could be in for a bidding war.

It's time for the PropertyRoom.com auction to begin. Folks from all over the New York tri-state area have come to see what deals they can get.

Here's what it looks like from the PropertyRoom.com auctioneers' perspective. Looks like a banjo is the next item up for sale.

Billy bids on an item at the auction. Maybe he is trying to take home some of those gas masks that he saw at the preview.

Mark bids on some of the items as well. He was very interested in the sword during the auction preview.

The PropertyRoom.com auctioneers get a little silly and start playing the bongos during the auction.

Mark is happy with his winning lots from the auction. Will he walk away with a profit?

Look who ended up winning the sword! Bet Billy was happy to beat out Mark and Laurence for the win.